Known and Suspected Hormone Disruptors

Toxins in our Food

It would beirresponsible of me to not discuss hormone disruptors on a website about hormone health. My own hormone health issues have made me question healthcare, medication, and nutrition and yes, hormone disruptors all around me. Knowledge is power – the positive outcomes I have had with my hormone health have been as a direct result of me educating myself about my health and the options available to me. By no means do I think my hormone issues are over – I still have menopause to face and wonder in the back of my mind what the effect years of estrogen dominance will have on my future health. It’s not that I live in fear, but rather I want to give my body the best chance at a long and healthy life, which is the reason behind my research into the negative health effects of hormone disruptors. Even more importantly for me is to do the research for the health of my children’s developing bodies.

This post has tons of information – I hope you find something useful. I encourage you to take the list of the hormone disuptors, especially the ones that are known carcinogens (cancer-causing) and go to your cosmetic bag, your bathroom shelf or your bathtub shelf and see if you can find any of these hormone disruptors. I am sure you’ll be surprised – they might even be in your baby wash. Get your kids involved – they’ll go on a hunt through your household products for you. You’ll be clearing out your shelves of harmful products and educating your kids at the same time.

Negative Health Effects of Hormone Disruptors

Hormone disruptors also called endocrine disruptors are being blamed for our rising rates of:

Endometrial cancer

Breast cancer

PCOS – Poly-cycstic Ovarian Syndrome

Endometriosis

Fibroids

Infertility

and other problems, including testicular & prostrate cancer in men.

We encounter hundreds or thousands of hormone disruptors every day. They are found in plastic, metal food cans, household cleaners & detergents, food, flame retardants, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides.

Known & Suspected Hormone Disruptors

Based on the research I’ve done about hormone disruptors here is a list of some of the more commonly discussed chemicals that mess around with our hormones in one way or another. Clicking each compound name listed will take you to the Wikipedia® article if you’d like to read more.

Parabens – known to mimic estrogen & linked to breast cancer. Widely found in makeup, moisturizers which may be why one study found significantly higher levels in women than men

BHA (Butylated hydroxyanisole) – Food preservative also found in moisturizers and cosmetics such as lipsticks. Listed as a carcinogenic by the State of California. Health Canada lists BHA as “high human health priority”. European Union prohibits it’s use in fragrances. BHA interferes with hormone function.

Phthalates – are used in a wide variety of products, including nail products, children’s toys, coating on pharmaceuticals, plastics, etc. Certain phthalates have been shown to have an adverse affect on reproductive health and disrupt hormones.

Petrolatum – petroleum jelly – a known endocrine disruptor. Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate (SLS/SLES) – found in foamy products like soaps, shampoos, cleansers, bubble baths. Can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxan which is potentially carcinogenic.

Coal Tar Dyes (also p-Phenylenediamine PPD) (colors identified as CI followed by five digits or in the US as FD&C or D&C followed by a number) – used in food as artificial colours, many have been banned over the years but several are still in use, used in hair dyes and cosmetics. May be potential carcinogenic but not added to the official list yet.

Websites I Highly Recommend

Environmental Working Group’s Hall of Shame – click to see the worst offenders – some of these toxic chemicals are banned in certain countries, some have ingredients known to be carcinogenic. And some of these products pretend they are “green” – some I’ve had in my own home thinking I was doing the right thing by buying “Green” products! Boy did I feel like a sucker!

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics – a great site, full of information about cosmetics as well as how you can encourage safer cosmetics and demand cosmetic companies stop putting harmful chemicals in our makeup and body care products.

Environmental Working Group has a list of every chemical under the sun! You can look up virtually any compound on their website and find out the good, bad and the ugly. Check out their site and read about chemicals and hormone disruptors, such as formaldehyde-releasers in baby formulas.

David Suzuki Foundation has a great website and also lists the “Dirty Dozen” chemicals to avoid in cosmetics.

Health Canada – the Canadian Government’s site includes a Cosmetics Hotlist – many chemicals have been banned or have to be labelled in Canada. Not as good as in the EU but much better than in the USA. (To all my cross-border shopping friends – you may be getting more than your bargained for if you shop for cosmetics and body care products south of the border). Explains how to read the labels, warnings and recalls, and a place for you to report adverse affects.

Meet Sonya, the Founder of Hormone Soup

I began advocating for myself after spending years seeking answers to my Infertility, Miscarriages, PMS, Postpartum Mood Disorder and Hypothyroidism. I grew increasingly dissatisfied by the band-aid solutions being offered and began searching for better answers to my healthcare concerns.

An amazing thing happened when I opened up about my story, the more I shared my struggles with other women, the less alone I felt. Over time I began hearing story after story and that's when I knew I had to do something. That's when Hormone Soup was born. I hope that by sharing my story and creating awareness into hormone health issues, other women will feel empowered and allow them to find answers sooner and more readily than I did.

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